Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140
RS 21/7/22
Richard Albert Tewkesbury (1907-1969)
Papers, 1934-1976, n.d.
Descriptive summary
| creator: | Tewkesbury, Richard Albert (1907-1969) |
| title: | Papers |
| dates: | 1934-1976, n.d. |
| extent: | 0.42 linear feet (1 document box) |
| collection number: | RS 21/7/22 |
| repository: | University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University. |
Administrative information
| access: | Open for research |
| publication rights: | Consult Head, Special Collections Department |
| preferred citation: | Richard Albert Tewkesbury Papers, RS 21/7/22, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library. |
Biographical note
Richard Albert Tewkesbury was born in Montour, Iowa in 1907. He graduated from Iowa State College (University) (1927). After graduation, Tewkesbury went on to teach mathematics at schools in Illinois, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Tewkesbury is best known for taking two expeditions through the Darien Jungle of Panama during the summers of 1939 and 1940. He wanted to prove that the jungle and its inhabitants were not barriers to plans that would create a Pan American Highway. Tewkesbury was one of the first non-native men to trek through the Darien Isthmus and come out alive. For his efforts, he received a commendation (1941) from the Pan American Congress. Tewkesbury passed away December 19, 1969. |
Collection description
This collection (1934-1976, n.d.) contains news clippings, correspondence, maps, and a comic book story (1942) detailing Tewkesbury's expedition through the Darien Isthmus. In addition, there are several files of "Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940." These files contain correspondence, maps, photographs, news clippings, and Tewksbury's accounts of the trips. The collection also includes his passport and a certificate (1962) for crossing the equator. Tewkesbury's papers also contained several small artifacts; these items have been placed in the University Archives Artifact Collection. The artifacts include a small plastic elephant, his compass, small hand carved wooden statue, and a native child's mola blouse. The statue and the mola blouse were items he received from the natives of the Darien Jungle. Mola is the traditional textile art form of the Kuna people of Panama and Columbia. Molas are cloth panels with intricate designs made from multiple layers of cloth in a reverse appliqué technique. The plastic elephant is an example of the items Tewkesbury gave to the native people during his trip. |
Organization
The collection is arranged alphabetically. |
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
1 |
1 |
Certificate of achievement for crossing the equator |
1962 |
1 |
2 |
Clippings |
1940-1941, n.d. |
1 |
3 |
Comic book – True Comics, article regarding Tewkesbury's trip to the Darien |
1942 |
1 |
4 |
Correspondence and clippings |
1934-1976 |
1 |
5 |
Photographs (1 3x5" B&W and 1 1x1" color) and passport |
1937-1941, n.d. |
1 |
6 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – prefatory and prologue |
1942 |
1 |
7 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – A1: Tewkesbury's writings, unpublished |
1939 |
1 |
8 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – A1: Tewkesbury's writings, unpublished (6 3x5 b&w photographs) |
1940 |
MAP |
CASE |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – A1: Tewkesbury's writings, unpublished maps |
1939 |
1 |
9 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – A2: Tewkesbury's writings, published |
1940-1942 |
1 |
10 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – B1: Tewkesbury in publicity – periodicals and publications |
1940-1941 |
1 |
11 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – B2: Tewkesbury in publicity – radio scripts |
1941 |
1 |
12 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – B3: Tewkesbury in publicity – controversial material |
1940-1942 |
1 |
13 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – C: Indians of the Darien |
1942 |
1 |
14 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – D1: Pan American Highway – continental (1 8x10 and 1 3x5 b&w photographs) |
1941-1942 |
1 |
15 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – D2: Pan American Highway – Latin America |
1942 |
1 |
16 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – D3: Pan American Highway – United States and Canada |
1942 |
1 |
17 |
"Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940" – epilogue |
1942 |
| Artifact collection | 2002-R010.01 – Small plastic elephant |
n.d. |
|
| Artifact collection | 2002-R010.02 – Compass |
n.d. |
|
| Artifact collection | 2002-R010.03 – Native child's mola dress |
n.d. |
|
| Artifact collection | 2002-R010.04 – Small hand carved wooden statue |
n.d. |
|